Mesa – Driving back from Phoenix to Tucson Monday night, a former Colorado player called and brought up an interesting topic: What the heck are the Rockies going to do about their logjam in their Triple-A outfield?

The easy answer is shed some bodies. That process is expected to begin today with Jeff Salazar. According to major league sources, the Rockies have attempted to trade Salazar. If unsuccessful with that route, he could be released. That makes sense since it frees up playing time for Cory Sullivan to play everyday for the Sky Sox.

The Rockies have plenty of outfielders in Colorado Springs with the likes of Seth Smith and Sullivan, who was last year’s big league opening day starter.

Salazar was briefly in the mix to compete for playing time this season before the club acquired Willy Taveras and signed free agent Steve Finley.

Hawpe remains idle
Outfielder Brad Hawpe received lengthy treatment all morning on his sprained left ankle and was unavailable for comment.

Hawpe’s absence would create more playing time for Finley, in right field today, and Jeff Baker.

Around the horn
The Cubs are the one team in Arizona that draw crazy crowds, their following legendary. What is surprising, however, HoHoKam Park’s modesty. The stadium pales to those in Peoria and Surprise. Makes me wonder if the Cubs will ever get in on all the new stadium action in the valley?

On that topic, Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf continues to act as if he will have no problem having a team fill his club’s lease when it leaves Tucson Electric Park. That team must be approved by the county as well. The two favorites remain the Baltimore Orioles and the Houston Astros. By virtue of their lease, the Rockies can leave Tucson if there aren’t two other teams in the city. Colorado declined to move over to TEP.

Footnotes
According to the Chicago Tribune, the Rockies have expressed interest in Sox knuckleballer Charlie Haeger, who failed in his bid to make Chicago’s rotation. …. Mark Prior starts today for the Cubs. He will not break camp with the Cubs, either opening on the DL or being optioned to Triple-A.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.